Cleaning device



March 3, 1936. 4 G. J. MITCHELL CLEANING DEVICE Filed Feb. 28, .1931

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 3, 1936; G. J. MITCHELL CLEANING DEVICE Filed Feb. 23, 1931 Patented Mar. 3, .1936

PATENT OFFICE CLEANING DEVICE Gerald Jay Mitchell, Chicago, 111., alsignol', by

direct and mesne assignments, to Mitchell Patents Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application February 28, 1931, Serial No. 518,970 10 Claims. (01. 15-122) This invention relates to cleaning devices and particularly to' a device formed of porous absorbent artificial sponge material having suitable friction surfaces for cleaning or scrubbing purposes, and having a chamber or recess within its interior for retaining soap, or the like, in cake or powdered form.

Amongv other objects, the present invention is intended to provide a housing of the character described wherein soap contained therein is completely covered by the material of which the device is constructed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an entrance for' obtaining access to the chamber within the device and means for retaining the entrance in closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide means operatively related to a device of the character described for retaining a brush, or the like,

in desired position on the device.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a housing of the character described having a chamber formed therein and an opening communicating with the chamber, and means operatively related to the housing for retaining a brush, or the like, in desired position on the housing and in a manner to cover said opening.

A still further object of the invention is to im; prove devices of the character described in sundry details hereinafter referred to and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Several forms which the present invention may assume are shown for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. .1 is a perspective view of a cleaning device Y constructed in accordance with the present invention; a Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating another form which the present invention may assume and also a form of combined closure and fastening means;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a device embodymg features of the present invention,'and illustrating means associatedtherewith for attaching a brush thereto;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 4, and showing a brush attached thereto; and Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the structure shown in Figs. 4 and 5 with the brush removed.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the material of which'the housing is of the housing material, a soapy solution may be housing II formed preferably of an integral porous absorbent material such, for example, as sponge rubber, or the like, and provided with a chamber I I formed therein and adapted to receive cleaning material such as a cake of soap 5 A, soap powder, flakes, or the like.

The housing It, in the present instance, is provided with top, bottom and side portions ,l2, l3 and I4, respectively, one of the side portions I l beingshown in the present instance as provided 10 with an aperture in the form of a slot or slit I5 extending through the side portion and communicating with the chamber I I for providing access to the chamber to renew or replenish the cleaning material used therein. 15

For strengthening the material of the housing adjacent the slit, the side portion in which the slit is formed is shown in the present instance as provided with a substantially non-porous surface or skin It, and vulcanized or otherwise suitably 20 secured to the housing adjacent the ends of the slit I5 are reenforcing strips H for resisting the tendency of the slits to become elongated ad- Jacent their end portions when the slit I5 is opened for obtaining access to the chamber I I. 25

For retaining the sides of the slit I5 in closed -or juxtaposition, a strip I8 preferably of elastic material is vulcanized or otherwise secured as indicated at I9 adjacent its end portions to the side of the housing III at opposite sides of the slit 30 I 5,. the strip II being secured to the housing while under tension in a manner to maintain the sides of the slit IS in closed position and to retain the cleaning material within the chamber II.

a It will be observed that by such an arrange- 35 ment, a cake of soap, or other cleaning material may beretained'in the chamber H and protected from contact with objects outside i311; houfsiag,

reason of the rous con on o e and yet by p0 constructed, 40 moisture such as water may penetrate the walls of the housing through its pores in a manner to dissolve a portion of the cleaning material within the chamber II, and owingto the compressibility 45 readily expelled or forced to the surface of the housing for cleaning purposes. Although the pores of the housing material permit the e of fluid therethrough, the course traversed by 50 the water is of such a tortuous nature that solid substances, such as sand, or other abrasives, are prevented from entering the chamber II, thus maintaining the cleaning material clean and free from contact with outside matter, except Fig. 3 illustrates a housing structure lllb similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 except that the slit I 5b is provided in the upper side of the housing and a closure member 22 formed of elastic material is shown, in the present instance,

as completely covering the slit lib and secured to the housing lllb at one side of the slit as indicated at 23, and adjacent opposite ends of the slit as indicated at 24, thus leaving a free edge 25 which may be raised for obtaining access through the slit l5b to the chamber formed within the housing.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 disclose a structure having means associated therewithfor attaching a brush to the cleaning device and in the present instance comprises a housing Hid similar in character to that shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and having a chamber (1 formed therein and a slit l5d formed in its upper wall portion.

Secured to the upper side of the housing IOd preferably adjacent the edge thereof is a resilient rim or member 30 having an inwardly extending flange portion 3| associated therewith and adapted to engage and overlie the back or bristle supporting portion 32 of a brush 33 in a manner to coverthe slit l5d as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

The member 30 is contractable and of normally lesser outside dimension than the dimensions of the housing I 0d as clearly shown in Fig. 6, thereby providing means for holding the sides of the slit I511 in closed position when no brush is attached to the housing, and by reason of its resiliency, the member 30 may be expanded to receive and-retain a brush adjacent the side of the housing and in a manner to cover the slit formed therein.

It has been found desirable in each instance to provide the housing of the various structures with a surface similar to the non-porous surface or skin It mentioned in connection with the disclosure in Figs. 1 and 2 on the sides of the various housings where the slit closing means are mounted and where the brush attaching means are employed.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a cleaning device whereby the cleaning material is protected from contact with solids outside the housing, and. wherein fluid is permitted to contact and dissolve a portion of the cleaning material and may be expelled from the housing for cleaning purposes. Furthermore, that the present invention provides convenient access to the interior of the housing, and suitable means are provided for maintaining the sides of the slit in; closed position, also that suitable means are provided for attaching a brush to the housing for covering the slit formed therein if so desired.

Obviously,,. the present invention is not limited to the precise construction and arrangement shown and described as the same may be variously modified. Moreover, all the features of the invention need not be used conjointly, as the same may be used in advantage in variously different combinations and sub-combinations.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to cover by Letters Paten is:

1. An article of the class described comprising a housing formed of an integral porous absorbent material having a hollow chamber fprmed therein and side walls completely surrounding said chamber, and having a slit formed in a portion of said slit formed in one of said walls and communicating with said chamber, reenforcing means secured to said housing adjacent said slit, and resilient means secured to the outer side of the housing extending across said slit for securing the sides of the slit in abutting position.

3. An article of the class described comprising a housing formed of sponge rubber and having a chamber formed therein for receiving a cleaning material, one side of said housing having a slit formed therein communicating with said chamber, and resilient means fixed on said housing at the periphery thereof and extending upwardly and inwardly therefrom and normally tensioned to maintain said slit in closed position, said means being adapted to secure a brush to said housing over said slit.

4. An article of the class described comprising a housing formed of a porous absorbent material and having a chamber formed therein for receiving a cleaning material, one side I of said housing having a slit formed therein communicating with said chamber, and an elastic member secured to said housing surrounding said slit and being contractable in a manner to close the slit and embodying an inwardly extending expansible lip with the member to receive and retain a brush adjacent said side of the housing in a manner to cover said slit.

5. An article of the class described comprising a housing formed of sponge rubber and having a chamber formed therein for receiving a cleaning material, one side of said housing having a slit formed therein communicating with said chamber, and an elastic member secured to said housing on said side thereof for strengthening said slit against deformation, said member having a por-' tion thereof adapted to receive the back of a brush for attaching the brush to said housing in ,such a position that the back of the brush covers said slit.

6. An'article' of the class described comprising a housing of porous resilient material and having a chamber therein and walls completely surrounding the chamber, and having an aperture communicating with said chamber from the outside of the housing, said walls being porous to provide for the passage of fluid from within the chamber to the outer surface of the housing, and a separate elastic resilient member, of different resiliency than the housing fastened to said housing on opposite sides of said aperture, normally tensioned to maintain said aperture closed.

7. In combination, a unitary housing made of absorbent porous material and having an internal .cavity adapted to receive a cleaning member, an

aosavsa 3 cavity adapted to receive a cleaning member, an opening in one side of said housing, a retaining member secured to the side of the housing having the opening and extending therearound, and a scrubbing member carried by said retain ing member and including a base which covers said opening and projects from said retaining member, the cleaning member being so arranged to dissolve through the pores of the housing in the normal use of the device.

9. A unitary toilet article of the class described wherein is disposed a water soluble cleaning substance comprising, in combination, a sell-contained integral porous housing, a slot in said housing arranged to introduce said soluble cleaning substance thereinto, and means fastened to the housing for closing said slot to retain said cleaning substance therein, whereby in the normal use oi said article said water soluble substance will dissolve through the pores of the housing, said means including an overhanging portion adapted to receive and hold a brush in such a position that the back of the brush is situated to cover said slot.

10. In combination, a unitary housing made of absorbent porous material and having an internal cavity adapted to contain a soluble cleaning means disposed therein, an opening in one side of said housing providing for the insertion of said cleaning means, and a retaining member secured to the side of the housing having the opening and extending across the opening and tensioned to exert a positive force tending to retain said is cleaning means in said cavity at all times.

GERALD JAY MITCHELL.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,032,762. March a, =1936.

GERALD JAY MITCHELL.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of April, A. D. 1936.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

